World Cup 2014: Capello building Russian team

Fabio Capello: "As a coach, you should always be confident — or find another job." Source: AP

Coach Fabio Capello — who has led Russia’s national soccer team to a five-point lead over favored Portugal in the World Cup qualifiers — sat down with Rossiyskaya Gazeta to talk about Russia’s match against Northern Ireland on Mar. 22, as well as his experience living and working in Moscow.

Over just a few months of coaching the Russian national
team, Fabio Capello was able to propel his players into the best World Cup
qualifiers start ever.

Last fall, Team Russia — revamped by the Italian — won
four out of four games and is now five points ahead of the group favorite,
Portugal. This means that Russia has a very good chance of making it to the
World Cup finals for the first time in 12 years. Yet Capello is not taking
anything for granted in the run up to an away game against Northern Ireland.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta: What are your feelings ahead of
the match against Northern Ireland? Do you have confidence in your team?

Related:

Fabio Capello: As a coach, you should always be confident
— or find another job. I think this game is going to be crucial for us.
Northern Ireland tied with the Portuguese at home, so the visit to Belfast will
be a serious challenge for our side. I really hope our players have joined the
team in their best shape. The problem, though, is that they haven’t played many
official games this year. More practice is needed to improve their physical
condition.

RG: Some fans think that the Russian team has already
guaranteed itself a place in the World Cup. Aren’t you afraid that this attitude
might infect the players?

F.C.: (Smiles) No. Because a five point lead is definitely not enough.
We’ve only played four matches and there are six more to come. It will be very
difficult to qualify for the World Cup. Indeed, we have started off well and
were able to overtake Portugal. But we still have a long way to go in the
qualifiers.

RG: You’ve been working in Russia for half a year. Have
all of your expectations been fully met?

F.C.: In the beginning, I faced some difficulties choosing the best place
in Moscow to hold a training camp in the run up to our home games. First, I
visited the facility in Kratovo — that’s where Anzhi Makhachkala is based — but
we eventually we opted to stay at Swissotel and train at the Torpedo Stadium.
It was a very good choice.

Apart from that, the last time we played at the Lokomotiv
Stadium, the field left much to be desired. So we decided to move the next
match to Luzhniki. And it’s going to be even more challenging next year, when
Luzhniki is expected to close. Once this has happened, there will be no stadia
left in Moscow (laughs). That is why we plan to play against Luxembourg and
Israel in St. Petersburg.

RG: What do you make of the Russian weather? Moscow has
been hit by a snowstorm recently.

F.C.: Well, I like it. There was this one time when bad weather dampened
my mood a bit but, overall, I don’t see any problem in a couple of days of
snow.

RG: You are known as a big admirer of Russian culture.
Are you comfortable living in Moscow? Do you have enough spare time to go to
the opera or art exhibitions?

F.C.: Absolutely, no problem. I’m happy here. My wife lives in Moscow
permanently, just like me. We’ve rented a flat in the center because I don’t
like hotels. In fact, I hate living in hotels: The atmosphere there really
brings me down. I like the freedom of living in my own apartment. Here you can
spend your time as you wish — eat, drink and listen to music.

RG: Your sternness is legendary. What are your “rules of
life”? Is there a specific list of things your players are not expected to do?

F.C.: My rules are perfectly normal; they are common to all sportsmen.
Respect is the main thing — respect for the rules, the daily regimen, all the
people you work with. You won’t achieve anything without respect. Tell me, why
should everyone wait for someone who is late for breakfast because he didn’t
get up in time?

I remember how the players of the legendary 1972 Ajax with
Cruyff gathered for lunch. They would sit at the table all together, wearing
identical clothes. If you want to build a solid team, you have to apply
yourself.

And don’t expect any special treatment just because you’re
a star. Be a star on the field: that’s where you should keep it up and get the
result the team needs. The best thing that can happen is for the key players to
rally the rest of the squad around them. That’s something only they can do —
not the coach.

I remember Baresi, Maldini, van Basten, Raul, Hierro,
Beckham… They were very humble off the field, just like everyone else. That’s the
kind of attitude we are looking for. What we don’t need is another spoiled star
with special demands. As simple as that. Respect, respect and even more
respect.

RG: What can you say about the Russian players’
mentality? Is it different from what you saw in Italy, Spain or England?

F.C.: I wouldn’t say so. You see, a lifestyle depends on the customs in a
given country. In Spain, for example, it is considered normal to go to bed at
two in the morning and have dinner at 10 p.m. Italians are a little different.
They prefer to go to night clubs and spend the whole night there after a game.
The English like to gather the whole team together and have a drink or two.
That’s their way of life.

But I would like to reiterate that respect for the rules is
key. When you prepare for a game, you should give all you’ve got during
training sessions and seek constantly to improve yourself. That’s why, when a
national team spends a couple of days together, its regimen consists of
working, sleeping and eating — and teambuilding.

RG: How many football matches do you watch a week? Have
you ever counted?

F.C.: Let me think. Last week, Friday was the only day I didn’t watch
football, because there weren’t any matches that day. Normally I watch the
Russian championship on weekdays and Mondays, and European tournaments from
Tuesday to Thursday. That’s football every day. And I’m fine with it, because
it’s my job.

RG: What has struck you most in football over the last
few years?

F.C.: My perception of football has undergone three radical changes. The
first was associated with the early 1970s Ajax with Cruyff. That was when total
football emerged with its fantastic pressing. Next was Arrigo Sacchi’s
and, later, my Milan. We introduced a couple of changes into the way pressing
was used and played very compact football.

And the third change was brought about by today’s
Barcelona. It has a brand new style — a truly unique one. Others have made some
innovations, too: another way to make free kicks or an interesting approach to
performing corner kicks; but global changes have been introduced by the three
clubs I’ve mentioned.

RG: So, we may have to wait another 20 years for the
next change?

F.C.: Who knows? (Laughs) I suppose so. Let’s wait and see when someone
with a new vision comes up. This is really interesting.